1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rotary knitting on multi-feed circular knitting machines and more particularly to a process for knitting a tubular blank with a knitted pocket solely by rotary knitting on a multi-feed circular knitting machine where the pocket is formed by knitting partial courses on one side of the blank without any knitting on the other side of the blank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hosiery products, socks, panty hose, ladies fashion hosiery, tights and other tubular garments rotary knitted on circular knitting machines to fit the leg of the wearer traditionally have been made with heel, toe and other portions that are formed as pockets for extra fabric sections of the garment to accommodate that particular area of the lower extremity. With the advent of stretch yarns, it was not necessary in all cases to form pockets, since the stretchability of the knitted fabric would accommodate the heel or toes without undue wrinkles or other fabric deformities. However, when a precise fit is desired, the heel and toe portions on the hosiery blank are usually made by utilizing the technique of reciprocating the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine as it knits so that it moves first in one direction and then reverses and moves in the opposite direction for the same distance. This reciprocating motion while knitting produces additional fabric on one side of the blank only that becomes an extra fabric heel or toe portion which terminates when reciprocation of the cylinder is terminated and rotary knitting is resumed to complete the blank.
Rotary knitting, particularly with panty hose and ladies fine denier fashion hosiery, can take place at much higher speeds than are possible in reciprocatory knitting. Such speeds are obtainable because the cylinder is constantly rotated in one direction smoothly and without having to accelerate and decelerate in order to change direction. Thus reciprocatory knitting of a heel and toe pocket requires a considerable amount of time when compared with the time required to knit the balance of the blank by rotary knitting and when compared to the time required to form rotary knit pockets in accordance with the present invention.
Various techniques have been utilized to attempt to rotary knit hosiery blanks with formed pockets for heels and toes. In substantially all cases, the attempt to provide additional fabric to the tubular member at a precise location to form a pocket portion solely by rotary knitting has failed because the additional fabric produced has been insufficient in quantity to effectively provide a suitably sized pocket because of the knitting technique used. Thus, there is a need for a more expeditious and reliable method of providing pockets (additional fabric) at specific locations on knitted tubes that form hosiery blanks or other products in order to reduce the time and cost of producing such blanks and to ultimately provide a garment with the needed quality, durability and fit. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.